Georgetown’s Security Studies Program (SSP) represents an unforgettable chapter of our lives, but some students arrive with a prologue. Ryan Swan (SSP’26) and Annabel Doherty (SSP’26) carry with them the legacies, respectively, of his father Guy Swan (SSP’87) and her grandfather Hugh Doherty (SSP’93). When asked what the best part of SSP is, students and professors alike often respond, “It’s the people.” Swan and Doherty agree. SSP isn’t just a degree; it’s part of their life stories.
Annabel and Ryan had different paths to Georgetown. Annabel came to the university by way of the University of Southern California’s Intelligence and Cyber Operations program. She decided she wanted to pursue a graduate degree to bolster her research and writing skills, encouraged by one of her professors who happened to be an SSP alumnus. While Annabel had initially planned on working in cybersecurity, she “became hooked on international relations and national security policy.”
In contrast, it was Swan’s military service that carried him to Georgetown. In 2023, the U.S. Army assigned him to Washington, DC, where he decided to attend SSP for three reasons: the once in a lifetime opportunity it presented; the program’s reputation in military circles; and the encouragement of his mother, Melanie. “I have her to thank for pushing me to apply,” Swan says.
Reflecting on her favorite parts of SSP, Doherty describes how her Intelligence and War class with Professor Heidi Urben offered students the chance to present their defense intelligence estimates to the former director of the National Security Agency and current Distinguished Fellow in Residence at SSP, retired Air Force General Timothy D. Haugh, and learn from his professional expertise.
“Outside of the classroom,” Doherty says, “I made lifelong friends at the climbing gym with Ashka Jhaveri (SSP’26) and Blake Bauch (SSP’25).” She explains how the trio conquered academic mountains and literal rock walls together, including “quizzing each other on comps while belaying” in the gym.
For his favorite parts of the program, Swan highlights the variety of electives and the experience of SSP’s professors. He explains how “hearing their stories firsthand helped make the material more engaging, relevant and applicable to real-world situations.”
Beyond academics, Swan says, “Without a doubt, the best part of the program was meeting my wife.” Swan and his wife, Victoria Maldonado (SSP’25), met in Professor Urben’s section of SEST 5001: Strategy, Policy and Military Operations.
These two graduates demonstrate how relationships fostered at SSP can become significant aspects of our students’ lives and even shape their family histories. Although Doherty didn’t know that her grandfather, Captain Hugh M. Doherty, had also graduated from the program the known as National Security Studies Program until she was already a student at Georgetown, it was her family’s military history that inspired her to pursue a future in national security. Captain Doherty graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1965, later commanded the nuclear attack submarine USS Sand Lance and led the antisubmarine warfare division at the Pentagon. After retiring from the Navy, Captain Doherty enrolled in at GU, graduating in 1993.
“He was truly a lifelong learner, devouring history and documentaries,” Doherty says. According to her grandmother, her grandfather enjoyed learning from the life experiences of his professors and classmates.
Swan’s father, retired Lieutenant General Guy C. Swan III, also graduated from SSP in 1987 while stationed at the Pentagon. Reflecting on his time in SSP, Lt. Gen. Swan said, “The best part was the quality of the faculty, most of whom were professional practitioners in their fields. They brought real-world experience to every class, which gives the program exceptional credibility.”
Both Swan and Doherty—the current generation— encourage incoming students to cultivate relationships within SSP. In addition to learning from the life experiences of students and professors, “the connections and relationships you build can open doors and set you up for incredible opportunities and success after (or even before) graduation,” Swan says.
Following graduation, exciting adventures are in store for these two graduates. Doherty plans to travel along the Camino de Santiago in Spain with her father this summer and then return to DC to start a career in technology and national security policy. Swan’s active-duty service ended this spring after ten years in the U.S. Army. He will continue to serve in the Army Reserve and plans to move with Victoria Maldonado (SSP’25) to Phoenix, Arizona.
Congratulations to Ryan Swan and Annabel Doherty as they add another SSP chapter to their families’ stories and to the entire Class of 2026! Hoya Saxa!